Secrets of Change
by boingfic
Summary: Five years causes people to change, regardless of where they are. Oliver Queen was stranded on an island and suffered. Adriana Zvezda was not shipwrecked or stranded. She also suffered. She also changed. Oliver Queen / OC.


**So yeah. I just finished the show and wow... being a fan of the comic books I thought it was great. Anyway, I just had this idea pop up, thought I would give it a go. It will follow the show loosely, but I am planning to have another story line of the OC... doesn't make sense but please give it a chance :)**

Obviously I don't own anything you recognize, I wish I would but I don't, AND I am not taking any credit for it. Just pure fanfiction fun. Enjoy, tell me what you think :)

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"What?!" The sound that left the woman's mouth was a mix between a yelp and a scream of astonishment. The treadmill threw the woman off; making her hit the glass with a loud thud. She looked back at the screen, her eyes wide in shock.

This wasn't the usual day at the gym. Usually the treadmill wouldn't throw her off. However it also wasn't usual for people to come back from the dead. The TV was showing live footage. He was right there. On the dozen's of screens that were scattered across the wall. He was on all of them. From under all the hair, the same blue eyes blinked at the cameras. Oliver Queen was alive.

"Are you okay?" one of the personal trainers asked giving the woman who was now sprawled out on the floor a helping hand. She gawked at the buff man, still trying very hard to regain her composure. The woman allowed the trainer to pull her back onto her feet.

"I am fine..." She nodded, trying to reassure all the worried looks that were directed at her. A small smile slowly appeared on her lips as the whole situation started to sink in. Oliver Queen, her Ollie was alive. "I am fine!" She smiled happily; punching the off button on the treadmill she was using previously and leaving the gym in a huge hurry. The woman sprinted out onto the streets of Starling City and headed towards Starling General Hospital. Her gym attire wasn't exactly a very city friendly outfit. The neon pink sports bra and mini shorts were not something that regular, normal people would wear. Especially when they need to run around a hundred blocks to get to their destination.

"Finally..." The woman's smile grew bigger seeing the hospital's entrance. Well the small bit of the entrance. The place was packed with flashing lights and people screaming and slamming the door. Obviously when someone who was presumably dead for five years suddenly appears the media will surely follow. The fact that it was Oliver Queen didn't help the situation.

"Fucking hell..." She growled as the vulture pack of photographers spotted her.

"Adriana, is it true? Miss Zvezda, how is the company going to react to this?!"

It took around ten minutes to fight her way to the door and then another five minutes to actually get it open and go inside. She leaned against the wall, trying to make the pounding headache go away. Starling City news reporter's were known for their relentless and aggressive behavior. But it was situations like these where Adriana really had a strong hatred towards them.

Growing up as a close family friend to the Queen's her life has somewhat always been in the spotlight. After Oliver's disappearance and assumed death, Adriana dropped out of university and picked up an internship at Queen Consolidated. She also managed to get well adapted and received a full time job as a marketing manager. The job was good pay and it covered her rent. Her life was comfortable and she could also afford many luxuries.

Hurrying past the reception, Adriana snuck into the elevator and pressed the top floor. She knew that whenever the Queen's were here, they got that room. Adriana tapped her foot impatiently. The doctors and nurses gave her a weird look. She was stood in the elevator with her pink outfit, sweaty from head to toe. Adriana just tapped her foot, trying her hardest to contain herself.

When the elevator dinged at her floor, Adriana practically flew out from the door and sprinted down the hall. Two security guards were at the closed of area. They saw her running and stepped forward stopping her.

"You can't come through here miss." The bulky one said.

"What?!" Adriana shrieked, looking around the men and trying to catch a glimpse of Oliver. She was becoming very agitated at the moment.

"Only personal family members to Mr. Queen are allowed in." The other one replied. I stopped looking around him and faced the two security guards.

"What?!" Adriana shrieked. "Are you fucking kidding me?! Let me talk to Moira or something, get out of my way!" She yelled, shoving the man back.

Oliver stood hugging his mother, when a loud scream was heard just outside from his room. A frown appeared on his face as he pulled back from the embrace he had his mother in. Her eyes met his blue ones and she smiled, slightly rolling her eyes at him. Oliver walked out of the room and saw a petite brunette, screaming at two guards and shoving them. Her demands of getting to see Oliver were violent and she had power behind her words. The guards were struggling to keep her down.

"Drina?" Oliver called out. The confusion was evident on his face. Five years ago, Adriana Zevzda was a petite platinum blonde with very bronzed skin. The woman that stood in front of him now was the same height, the same bronze skin but her hair was a dark brunette.

At the sound of his voice, she stopped her rant and abuse of the security guards and looked up at the tall man. Oliver's lip slowly turned up into a lopsided smile and beckoned for the security guards to let her through. Adriana stepped forward her face was in full shock. She lifted her hand up and lightly placed her small hand on Oliver's chest. She stood still, waiting patiently. A silence took over for a while. Oliver didn't move, he waited for her to react to his presence somehow. She laughed.

"You are here!" Adriana yelled, "Ollie, you are here!" With that, the small brunette flung herself onto Oliver, wrapping her legs around his waist. Oliver laughed lightly, holding her frame close to his body. "Ollie!" She sobbed into his neck, holding on as tight as she could. Adriana was scared that he would just vaporize and disappear. "Ollie." Her sob were getting louder and louder and all Oliver could do was hold her.

He missed the petite blonde. Well brunette. Through out his life, she was the only one that always understood him. She was the one he could always open up to, regardless of the age difference that was between them, Adriana being only a few years older than Thea. Adriana was wiser than her years and she was very down to earth. She was the type of the girl that did not beat around the bush. If you wanted the truth, Adriana would give it to you.

"I am here, Drina. I am here." Oliver murmured, holding her head with one hand and walking back to the hospital room to have a bit more privacy. Adriana was still hanging from him. Oliver sat on the bed and still held her close. Moira sat down beside them, also fighting her tears and trying to comfort her. It was an emotional moment.

"Don't ever leave Ollie!" She sobbed, again pulling back away from him and holding his face with both her hands. "You hear me?!"

"I am here, Drina." He repeated himself. She smiled and hugged him again. Adriana was trying to patch up all the hugs she missed out from these five years.

It took another few minutes before she calmed down. Adriana detached herself from Oliver and went to greet Moira, quietly mumbling an apology about her behavior,

"It is just... emotional." Adriana explained to the both of them. Moira sighed and looked at the young woman in front of her.

"I know it is, don't worry." Moira patted her back.

"Ollie..." Adriana turned her attention back to the man who she believed was dead for the past five years. "You look... more manly. I like the new look!" Adriana chuckled, running a hand through his short buzzed hair and down his stubble. She noted to herself that he looked more masculine.

Five years ago he was a baby faced playboy billionaire. She had a crush in him then. In Adriana's mind, not many people can actually resist the Queen charm. It was something that all the Queen member's were blessed with. Now, however the Oliver that was standing in front of her was different. The island changed his appearance. Adriana was sure that to some extent the old Oliver she had was also changed.

Oliver looked at his old friend, not believing his eyes. The awkward little girl he used to know, grew up into a beautiful woman, although Oliver always believed that Adriana was beautiful. She frowned and turned away suddenly.

"What's wrong?" Oliver asked,

"I just realized what I am wearing and how fucking sweaty I am..." Adriana explained quickly. Her choice of words caused Moira to gasp. The elder Queen never exactly got used to how fouled mouthed the sweet little girl had gotten over the years. Oliver on the other hand found it rather amusing. "Also..." Adriana continued, turning back around to face them, "I have no idea on where to start with getting you back to date."


End file.
